Australia left-armer Mitchell Johnson will lead a much-changed bowling attack when the Ashes start in Cardiff next Wednesday. Regarded as the best bowler in the world right now, his swinging deliveries at speeds in excess of 90miles per hour will be a major threat to England’s hopes.

How are you enjoying England?I was here in 1999 on tour with the Under-19s and I have little memories of that tour. But I’m enjoying my time here so far. The weather has been pretty good, which makes everything better.

You were 12th man for the entire 2006/07 Ashes when Australia won 5-0. How was that?It was definitely a good experience for me. I would have liked to have played but to be in the dressing room with guys like Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Shane Warne showed me how to prepare for an Ashes series. Hopefully that experience is something I can use to help me now.

Are you surprised at how far you’ve come since your debut against Sri Lanka in 2007?I guess I am. When I first started out I was quite nervous. I didn’t have a spot in the team, I mean I wasn’t established. But in the past 12 months I’ve grown in confidence and feel a lot more comfortable. I was the leader in terms of our bowling in South Africa. That was big for me. It was against a side who had just beaten us in Australia, were regarded as the team to beat at that time and we were playing them in their own country. It’s not just me, I think we’ve all taken confidence from that series win. It’s been a pretty exciting time since 2007. I’ll never forget my first Test against Sri Lanka. Glenn McGrath presented me with my Baggy Green. That was special.

What’s been your favourite wicket since you got your Baggy Green?Any wicket you get in Tests is special. My first one [Sri Lanka’s Thilan Samaraweera], caught behind by Adam Gilchrist will always be a special wicket for me. There were a few in South Africa as well; my favourite was in the first Test when I swung the ball out to Graeme Smith [with the second delivery of the innings].

Will you target any England player during this series?You’ve got to look at Kevin Pietersen I guess. He’s up there with the very best batsmen in the world and he is one of the guys you want to get out early. He’s one of the guys you want to get out cheaply because he is a threat and one of those dangermen you look out for.

You have been receiving rave reviews for your batting ever since you hit 93 not out and 123 not out during that series in South Africa. Are you an all-rounder?Not yet. I love batting, I really enjoy it when I get out there and it’s something I’ve worked on. But it doesn’t really bother me if someone classes me as an all-rounder or not.

Dennis Lillee called you a ‘once in a generation bowler’ when he first spotted you. Did that affect you early in your career?Definitely. It was difficult looking back now. I probably did relax a little bit and take those words on board. I thought it was just going to happen for me. It was unreal someone like Dennis Lillee thought that about me. But I learned that I needed to work hard to get where I wanted to be and I think I’ve repaid those comments.

What are your first memories of an Ashes series?It was Shane Warne’s ball to Mike Gatting [in 1993]. I can still picture that delivery now, it was pretty amazing to do that with your first ball in Ashes cricket.

You could do that too in Cardiff.I don’t know. Hopefully I’ll get a few wickets, as many as I can actually.

I understand you were a tennis protege before you played cricket?I played for nine years and was pretty good. I played in local tournaments around Queensland, it was fun.

And would you be in the army now if you weren’t a cricketer?I was pretty close to it. I had just finished high school, I didn’t have a job and a few of my mates were in the army, in the barracks back home in Townsville so I thought that’s what I’d do. But I was playing a bit of cricket and went to a coaching clinic in Brisbane and was spotted by Dennis Lillee. I was pretty lucky. I’ve had friends that have gone over to Iraq and have been shot at. They get in the action. It’s pretty scary. But I’m proud of what I do, and wouldn’t give it up.

Mitchell Johnson was speaking to promote Sky Sports’ exclusively live and HD coverage of the Ashes